TORRANCE, Calif.— A survey conducted by Security Sales & Integration looking at women in the electronic security has revealed that a clear majority of both men and women say each have the same opportunities for career advancement in their companies. However, more women say discrimination against their gender exists in the industry than men.

The survey, conducted in July, of nearly 150 contractors, integrators and other security professionals intended to get a snapshot of the perception of women in the industry from respondents of both genders. When men and women were asked which gender gets more opportunities for career advancement, only 2-percent more women than men see men as having more opportunities. More than 80 percent of both genders see both men and women having the same opportunities.

“There’s more equal opportunity. There’s always going to be people who are unwilling to change,” ASIS Int’l President Shirley Pierini told SSI earlier this year. “I started in law enforcement when women weren’t allowed to be police officers. There was a time where all I was allowed to do was handle female prisoners and communications.”

The results were more divergent when it came to discrimination against women. Women felt more strongly that the industry is male-dominated. There were 14-percent more women who said that discrimination against women has always existed and not gotten much better, while 18-percent more men than women say discrimination has never been an issue in the industry.

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